Showcase

Well here we are again.  Todays post is a shorter one but I have two beautiful cards that I would like to share with you made by two kind and talented crafters.
This first card is by Dena Concienne;  if you remember, she is the designer of the CASE study card from yesterday's post.   I was lucky enough to receive one of Dena's cards as a thank you when I was quite a newbie to blogland and long before I had even started my own blog.   If you managed to pop over to see her card yesterday and took a look around her archives, you will have noticed just how talented Dena is.  Her colouring is truly lovely and she has a wonderful eye for colour and design.  Well enough of the idolising, here is the lovely card I received.  Didn't it travel well!! (Dena is from the USA).

Isn't that image just the cutest.  If I was sat on a swing with my dogs about me Millie would be behind me chasing it back and forth and Gypsy would be trying to get on my lap or just yapping at me to get my attention!

Ok, on to the second lovely card.  I received it just two days ago and boy did it cheer me up when it came through the letterbox!   This one is by our Sue (Bearhouse), isn't it just fabulous.

Another stunning image and so softly coloured too.  I adore the embossed frame on this card, it is so delicate but very dramatic and gives the card that bit of something special, don't you think?

Thank you so much to both of you for these beautiful cards, I will treasure them both. They have pride of place in my craftroom, sharing their own board on the wall above my sewing machine!!

Before I go today I would just like to answer a few queries about my great-nephew, baby Lee.  I haven't received any news for a couple of days, but that is good.  My sister-in-law promised me that no news was to be taken exactly as the saying goes, good news.  She would only call me if he took a turn for the worst.  Other than that we would keep up to date weekly, so the little fella must be quite strong and fighting hard, bless him.  She, my brother and their daughter were blown away by the amount of queries about Lee and have expressed their profound gratitude for all the thoughts and prayers sent his way.  From me too, I thank you very, very much.
For tomorrow I am going to try to finish a card for the boys,  but then again, it may end up being a get well soon card as I actually need both in the next couple of days ......... I wonder who (or to be grammatically correct, which) will win?  Hey, who knows maybe I 'll have a fab crafting afternoon and do two cards; Jake (my grandson) is only with me till approx 2.30pm.    Yea and pigs might fly................. keep looking up in the sky you just never know ........ LOL!!
Well, I hope you all have a good day, maybe even a bright and sunny day;  all we can do is hope.  Take care everyone and again, thank you very much for your fabulous words of praise for yesterdays card, they were most gratefully received.
Bye for now.   Linda xx

CASE of card by Dena Concienne

Good morning all,
I am so thrilled to know that you all liked the pins I showed yesterday, thank you all so much for the wonderful comments that you left for me.  I have been sourching new suppliers of beads, findings etc and have been really impressed with the variety of things I now have to use.  My beading arsenal has gone from one 5x10 Craftmate box to approx 12boxes now and I still haven't enough large beads. Oh we crafters are never satisfied are we; always on the look out for more.   Of course I am still using alot of the old stuff because it is so lovely and you 'don't change what ain't broken' so they say...lol!

Well, it seems an age since I did my last CASE card and I planned to do at least one every single week, shame on me I know.  I still forget what day of the week it is;  try to remember what week of the month.....now that is asking for trouble.........  I think we are about half way through May..., ah that's good enough for me (hanging head in shame)!!
Anyway guys and gals I am feeling a little stronger today after taking time out in the garden with my grandson yesterday.  I just sat in full sunlight, letting the rays power all over me and it was dreamy.  The heat was fabulous as I drifted into a world of my own and for a couple of minutes I was the happiest girl alive.... and then my grandson shouted 'NANNIE, what ya doing?' and my peace was shattered.  I didn't mind in the slightest, my grandson is the most adorable little man, he is friendly, happy (most of the time), polite and totally charming... oh, and so very cute!  He has only just turned 3 and already speaks very well, infact most of the time he doesn't shut up and chatters on about anything and everything.  To be precise, he only shuts up when he goes down for his nap around 2.30pm and that's when I can (sometimes) have a quick check of the blog and if I am lucky check some emails too.  All that said, he is my world and I adore him.  I have been blessed with 5lovely grandchildren but I don't get to see the other 4 so often, much to my great disappointment.  They are 3 funny and energetic little boys and a gorgeous girl who always seems so pleased to see me it bowls me over.  Ok, I had better stop now, I am rabbiting on again, but those of you with grandchildren will understand. I just hope I haven't bored you to death.


Here is the card that I have cased today and also the LINK so you can go to the blog and see the full post for yourselves.
It is a stunning creation by the wonderful Dena Concienne.   Dena has used a Magnolia stamped image and Making Memories - Je t' Adore papers.   Je t' Adore the card!!!!

I went for a sentiment instead of an image, but other than that I kept quite true to the plan.  I can't wait to read your opinions of the comparison.

A big chunky rose isn't it.  They are beautiful roses.
As you can see I completely changed the look of the card but kept the basic ideas: tied to the side,  floral corner and lace edging.  I thought they were, for me, the main features that I really wanted to copy.  I have made a gatefold card and the left-hand side with the crocheted lace is the one that closes over.
Dena was your original card a side fold or gatefold?  (Fingers crossed Dena will read this!!)
For this card I used some fabulous Hot off the Press papers (don't ask me which ones please,  as I honestly cannot remember the collection name).  I just love the sketchy flowers and the mix of colours.   The lace and flowers are some I have had in my box for ages now but they're all from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The larger of the flowers was part of a Candy win from the lovely Bev Rochester and it was a tan colour to begin with, but I changed the colour using my promarkers.  I added 'Shale' to it and created a beautiful brown to coordinate with the papers and overall colour scheme of the card.  Good don't you think?  I don't waste money buying lots of different colours now, how many of us can afford to do that?  I just get out my promarkers, Whisper pens or spritzers and colour my flowers to coordinate with my project.   I don't always start with white or ivory either, as long as the colour will blend over the original almost any colour can be achieved.  I usually test the colours underneath where the glue will go, to check the end result first before attempting to colour the whole thing.  Another way to do this is to find a petal the flower can live without, remove it and then use it as the tester.  That way, I don't waste flowers and I can work out if I need to mix colours to get the right shade.
Well that's it for me today, it is almost 5am and I must attempt some sleep before the grandson is back at lunchtime.  I hope you all have a wonderful day, but before I leave I would like to give you a thought for the day that I found on MotivateUs.com

" Let our hearts never get used to the miracles that happen around us & within us everyday. Let every sunrise, every flower, every smile, every raindrop and every child make us rejoice at the miracles in our lives." Copyright Caroline Naoroji

Regards Linda xx

Welcome to my first blog, my first post and Candy too!!

I can spend hours sometimes just admiring the end products of the talented people within the crafting and art community.  Most of this is done on the PC/laptop these days; lots of open tabs on a single screen replacing the mound of open books or torn paper bookmarks on the desk or tabletop.  The blog is in some cases replacing the diary and is also becoming the creative persons portfolio.

A fairly common thing I have noticed on the blogs I read is that numerous readers/followers say how much they 'wish they could do that' or they hope to 'be that good one day'.  Well that was me for a long time with regards to just starting a blog.  Two dear friends and extremely talented ladies, Sue Wilson and Dena Concienne have encouraged me on numerous occasions to get a blog started, but unfortunately health slowed me down.  Well here it is at last, a bare bones of a blog, but I am going to learn and then see where this wonderful new journey takes me.  Thank you to both of you for all your encouragement, you had belief in me even though we had never met and I will never forget your kindnesses and thoughtfulness.

To start my blog off with a bit of a celebration, I am going to offer some candy for when I reach my first 20 followers.  I love to make Decorative Stick Pins and I crochet lace also, so I thought I would make up my first candy from them.  I have taken a picture of a sample of my pins, but unfortunately my photography leaves a lot to be desired.  At the moment my camera has no lead (can't find a replacement anywhere, will be writing to the manufacturer) and in the mean time, the camera I am using is so old it shakes more than me!  I promise I will make my photos a top priority.

Well I hope I haven't bored you with only words for my first blog, but I do hope you will pop by and have a chat now and again.  I have a lovely card to show tomorrow in honour of Sue Wilson, it is my first Case card and it is of Sue's Parisian in Teal card.

Have a good day everyone.
Regards Linda x